


Gimme Gimme Gimme

by VolsungartheMighty



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Based on Abba songs, Getting Together, Lawyer Theo, M/M, Making Up, ThiamHalfBirthday, breaking up, mentions of past Theo/Malia, stranger danger
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-22
Updated: 2018-11-26
Packaged: 2019-05-26 19:49:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15008111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VolsungartheMighty/pseuds/VolsungartheMighty
Summary: Theo is shocked when he hears a song for the first time in twenty years, and it makes him remember the first time he fell in love.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GlitterCake20](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlitterCake20/gifts).



> For the Stranger Danger prompt in Thiam Week, and for Sammy, for starting the spiral. I hope you like it.

**_1999_ **

“Come on Noah, it’s time to leave” Theo called up the stairs, adjusting his tie in the hall mirror.

The sound of feet on stairs echoed down to Theo and he turned, smiling as Noah appeared down the stair, wearing ripped jeans that rode low on his hips and a graphic tee with Metallica’s _…And Justice for All_ album printed on it. His hair, as blond as his mothers had been, was messy and streaked with numerous colours and held in place with, what Theo believed to be, too much hair gel. The silver of an eyebrow piercing brought attention to his eyes, a light green that matched Theo’s own, while more were threaded through his ears.

“You ready for your first day at college?” Theo asked with a broad grin, picking his suitcase up off the ground and opening the door to the house, Noah leading the way to the car.

“I am, actually” he said with a bright smile, his eyes swimming with excitement. “It should be rather fun.”

“I know it was exciting for me” Theo said as he opened the door to his car, placing his suitcase in the back before turning on the ignition.

“Yeah, but you went into law” Noah said in reply, sitting in the passenger seat, and turning on the radio. He flicked through a few channels, and when he found nothing interesting, opened the glove box, pulling out a cassette and slotting it into the tape player. The heavy clashing of drums, quickly followed by a guitar, filled the interior of the car. Noah adjusted the volume a little, before saying, “I’m going into archaeology. It should be a little more interesting than sitting behind a bench all day.” There was a slight pause, and then, “What’s the song?”

They were driving down the road, having stopped at a set of lights. Theo drummed his fingers on the steering wheel along to the music before he said, “Master of Puppets, from the album of the same name. Released in 1986.”

“How are you so good at this?” Noah asked with a laugh, sitting back in his seat, watching out the window as buildings flew past.

Theo smiled as he looked over at his son. Theo knew it was hard, being the son of a single parent who was often away because of work, but he cherished these moments with his son. “You were five when this was released. I waited in line all night to get my copy of the record signed by them, actually. Little hard to forget that album.”

They drove a while in silence, Noah piping up to ask what the song was when a new one started, and Theo, without fail, answered correctly every time. They were just about to pull up to the university when a song, distinctly different from the others, played through the speakers. It had Theo tensing in his seat, knuckles turning white. Memories of a blue eyed, brown haired boy flashed through his mind.

He was only snapped out of his thoughts when Noah clicked his fingers in front of his face, getting his attention. “Lights green dad” was all he said, and then the sound of horns honking filled his ears. He waved in apology to the driver behind him as he drove forward, and moments later he was pulling into the drop off at the university.

“Is everything okay dad?” Noah asked with a worried voice, his hand tightened around the straps of his bag. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“I feel like I have” Theo whispered, before clearing his throat a little. “Why’d you put that song on this tape any way?”

“It’s a mix tape, and I actually liked it” Noah said with a light flush. “Why? Do you know what it is?”

Theo nodded his head, letting the sound of the music wash over him. “Yeah, I do” he said, waiting for a moment before he softly sang along to the song. “ _People everywhere, a sense of expectation hanging in the air.”_

He cleared his throat again, before reaching over and gripping Noah’s shoulder tightly, giving it a light shake. “You go on and enjoy your first day, Noah. I’ll be fine.”

Noah gave him a soft smile before he was stepping out of the car, giving Theo a light wave as he drove off, his figure receding into the distance in the rear-view mirror.

But Theo couldn’t help the memories that poured forth once he was alone. He couldn’t stop them, after almost twenty years of having locked them away.

***

**_1979_ **

The music pounded in Theo’s ears as he knocked back another drink, wondering why he was here. He had class the next day, and the hangover he was going to be nursing wasn’t going to be helping him any.

“Come one Theo, lighten up” Corey said as he nudged him in the side with his elbow. “You need to get laid, and sometime soon.”

He sighed, his eyes grazing over the crowd, but no one caught his eye. “I’m good thanks. I think I’ll just go home.”

He places the empty glass on the bar, getting up from the stool. Someone took his place the moment he was standing, and he scoffed. “Unbelievable” he said under his breath as he crossed the room.

He was part way across the dance floor when the song came on, at the same time he crashed into someone, sending the both of them sprawling to the floor.

_People everywhere,_

_A sense of expectation hanging in the air_

“Oh, fuck, sorry. My bad” Theo said as he pulled himself to his feet, pulling the man he had crashed into to his feet. “I didn’t see where I was going.”

“It’s okay” the other man said, as he brushed off his clothes, looking up to Theo’s face. “Wow” he breathed out, his eyes trailing up and down Theo’s torso.

Theo was having a similar reaction to the man, unable to tear his eyes away from the man. His shoulder length hair was a dark blonde, streaked with colours that seemed muted in the light of the club, and his eyes were of the lightest blue Theo had ever seen. He was wearing a pair of jeans with a button up shirt, the top three buttons undone, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of chest hair that made Theo lick his lips. “Yeah, wow” he breathed out after a moment, his eyes locking the mans.

The man had started moving his hips to the song, and Theo was unable to remove his eyes from the man. “I’m Liam, by the way” he said as he continued to dance, and boy could he move.

“Th-Theo” was all he could gasp out, his hands twitching, wanting to touch the man in front of him, but unsure if this was what he wanted.

“Well, Theo, why don’t you join me in a dance?” Liam asked, his hands coming up to rest on Theo’s hips.

Theo could merely nod as he started moving to the music, his hips moving, his own hands coming up to rest on Liam’s shoulders.

Theo lost count of how many songs they danced to, but next thing he knew he was out in the cool night air, his stomach aching as he laughed, one arm wrapped around Liam’s shoulders, one of Liam’s wrapped around his waist.

“Would you like to come back to my place?” Theo asked, acting a lot bolder than he normally would.

Liam beamed at him as he said, “I’d love to.”

Theo led Liam down the street to his college dorm, up the three flights of stairs and down the hall to his single room, thanking the heavens that he didn’t have a room mate.

The moment the door was shut behind him, Liam was pushing him against the door, his mouth pressed against his own, hands roaming over his shirt.

“Is this what you want?” Liam breathed out as he pulled back, his hands never leaving Theo’s torso.

“Fuck yes” Theo breathed out in reply, before he dove back in, chasing the exhilarating taste that had been Liam.

***

**_1999_ **

Theo’s fingers drummed against the wheel of the car, his thoughts whirling through his mind, suddenly unsure of how his life had played out so far.

He immediately felt guilty. He would never change the way his life had played out. He would never have met and married Malia, they would have never had Noah. He and Noah would never have suffered through the divorce as Malia had fought for everything, he would never have gained sole custody of his pride and joy in life.

But he still couldn’t stop his mind from thinking about the what if’s. What if he and Liam had never broken up? Would they still be together, twenty years later? Would they have adopted kids, or had someone act as a surrogate? Would they have kids at all? Would Theo still be the cities most respected lawyer, or would he be a dole bludger, addicted to weed and cocaine?

As he pulled into the car park at the firm, he rested his forehead against the steering wheel, reflecting on the last time he had seen Liam.

***

**_1980_ **

They had been together for a year now, a year of passion and love, of drugs and alcohol. Theo still went to classes, but was never actually _there_ , being to high on a cocktail of drugs and alcohol to focus properly. But he knew he wasn’t going to get anywhere in life like this, he was never going to achieve his dreams if he were like this.

And so, when Liam walked into their room later that day, it was to find that Theo had flushed everything down the toilet, all their drugs, their alcohol, everything that he knew was like a poison running through his veins.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Liam had practically yelled, spittle flying from his mouth, his eyes wide. “Do you know how much that cost?”

“I don’t care” Theo said, his mind addled and craving something, anything, but he knew this was the best thing to do. No weaning himself off, just going cold turkey. But now he was regretting it, his head throbbing and his mind frazzled, he couldn’t think before he spoke. “I can’t be like this anymore.”

“Like what?” Liam growled out, still furious.

“I cant be a coke whore like you” Theo spat out. “I cant keep being a junkie like you.”

“And why the sudden change of heart?” Liam asked, his voice cold and full of fury. “What made you want to do this.”

Theo knew this wasn’t what he intended, but he knew that if he stayed with Liam, he would relapse. He would go back to taking drugs and have no chance at a future. And so, without looking at Liam, he said, “I cheated on you. She wanted me to stop taking drugs, so I did. For her.”

He didn’t look up from the floor, and so he never saw the fist. But he certainly felt it, a mighty crack filling the room as pain engulfed his jaw. But it was mild, compared to the pain in his chest as he felt his heart break. As he looked up from the ground and watched as Liam spun on his heel and stormed out of their room, slamming the door behind him.

***

**_1999_ **

Theo rubbed his hand along his jaw as he remembered that night, about how he had lied to the one person he had ever loved, aside from his son. He knew without a doubt, that what he had done was the best thing.

He stepped out of his car, pulling out his briefcase and locking the door as he made his way to the elevator. Despite his belief in his decisions, doubt still swirled in his mind as he made his way to work.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is from Liam's point of view. Hope you like it

**_1999_ **

Liam swallowed the mouthful of coffee, enjoying the bitter, yet slightly sweet, brew as he walked through the near empty hallway. It wasn’t often he was up before eight in the morning, but he’d been unable to schedule the class any later, and so here he was, walking into class at nine in the morning.

“Good morning class” He called out as he walked in, not even once glancing at the crowd of students. “I hope you are all sitting in your assigned seats, and that you have the required texts, as we will be jumping straight into the course.”

He came to a stop at the desk at the front of the room, placing his briefcase on top of it and clicking it open. The shuffling of students sounded throughout the room, as they all moved to pull out books and pens. During this moment, he opened his briefcase and pulled out a slim bottle of pills, uncapped it and shook out two. He quickly dry swallowed them as he recapped the bottle and slipped it back into his briefcase, before he pulled out a sheaf of papers.

“Now, this is Archaeology 101, so those of you who are here to gossip with friends and _not_ enrolled in my class can leave now.” Liam called out, peering over the crowd over the rim of his glasses. Surprisingly, a number of students got up from their seats and left. “Now, who can give me the definition of archaeology?” There was a slight pause. No one raised their hands. “Come now, you really cant tell me what the definition is?”

One student, sitting up near the back, slowly raised their hand.

“Yes, you… uh, what’s your name, sir?” Liam asked, loud enough to be heard at the back.

“Noah, sir. Noah Raeken” the boy said, and Liam was suddenly struck by a memory…

***

**_1980_ **

He opened the door slowly, a smile on his face. He patted his pocket, checking for the ring for the umpteenth time as he stepped into the apartment he shared with Theo. His good mood was soured the moment he heard retching coming from the bathroom.

“Theo, is everything okay?” Liam called out, moving quickly through the apartment towards the bathroom, finding Theo crouched over the toilet bowl.

What he wasn’t expecting to find was the empty bags of drugs, the empty bottle of alcohol al strewn around the bathroom. The toilet flushed again, and Liam immediately knew what Theo had done.

“What the fuck are you doing? Do you know how much that shit cost?” Liam yelled, suddenly in a fury.

But when Theo turned to him, it wasn’t in deference, or in a bid to apologise. He had a look of understanding in his eyes, when that told Liam that Theo knew _exactly_ what he had done.

“I don’t care” Theo slurred, trying to stand up, but his legs were unable to hold his weight and he fell back on his ass. “I cant be like this any more.”

“Like what?” Liam asked, voice cold, tinged with something akin to fury. His hands were clenched in fists at his side and they shook as he forced himself to not lash out.

“I cant be a coke whore like you” Theo spat out, and Liam flinched back, and that seemed to give Theo more ammo. “I cant be a junkie like you, not any more.”

“And why the sudden change of heart? What made you want to do this Theo?” Liam asked, voice suddenly flat and emotionless. His hands were still shaking, and he was still angry, not, furious. But he wanted to hear Theo out first, before he did something stupid.

There was a slight pause before Theo spoke. “I cheated on you. She wanted me to stop being a junkie, so I stopped. All for her.”

The ring in Liam’s pocket suddenly felt like a lead weight, dragging him down beneath the waves as he was engulfed by his fury. Before he knew what he was doing, a crack resounded through the room, and his fist stung, as he punched Theo in the jaw. He stood there for a moment, looking down on the man he loved, before he turned on his heel and slammed the door of the bathroom shut.

***

**_1999_ **

And then he was back in the present, standing at the front of a class of university students. He eyed the student, Noah, who still stood, waiting for to be prompted.

“Raeken, was it? As in, Theo Raeken of Raeken and Hale Attorneys?” Liam asked, his train of thought suddenly derailed.

Noah nodded, his face turning red slightly as the rest of the class turned to watch him. “Yeah, that would be my dad” he said. There was a slight pause, and then he asked, “Uh… do you still want me to answer the question?”

“What question?” Liam said dumbly, before shaking his head, suddenly remembering what he had asked just moments before. “Right, that question, sorry. Yes, please do.”

Noah nodded, before he recited the definition, before sitting down once Liam nodded, accepting the answer.

The class passed by quickly after that, and the moment the bell rang for class to end he was out the door, unable to keep his thoughts straight.

 _So Theo had a kid?_ He thought as he raced through the quickly crowding halls, dodging students as he made his way to his office. _Probably with that girl he cheated on me with. What was her name?_ he paused slightly at the door to his office as he fished out the key, opening it and stepping inside, the door closing hard enough to make the glass in the frame rattle.

He sat behind his desk as he set the kettle to boil, spooning out the amount of coffee and sugar the way he liked it, before he sat down at his desk with a sigh, suddenly boneless and tired. As much as he hated to do so, he the memories of a past he had thought were long since forgotten had begun to surface, and he just needed time to sort through them.

***

**_1982_ **

He woke slowly, the soft, insistent beeping of a heart monitor filling his ears. He blinked his eyes open slowly, looking around the dark room.

He was in a hospital, laying in bed, tucked under an awfully heavy number of blankets. But it was incredibly warm under the blanket, and the arm sticking out of the sheets, with an IV drip attached at the elbow, was freezing.

The door to the right opened, and a nurse entered, holding a clipboard at her side, a soft, warm smile on her face. “Good, your up. I’ll let the doctor in to see you.” And then she was out of the room, her shoes clicking against the linoleum as she went.

Liam sighed, knowing exactly why he’d been in here. He’d gone to the doctor a few months ago, complaining about some pain in his stomach. After a few appointments and an x-ray, he’d found out that his liver and one of his kidneys was dangerously close to failing, and that he’d need to get a transplant for both organs.

He’d been surprised when his parents had agreed to pay for the surgery, despite the obvious cause for the transplants. They all knew it was the drugs he’d been taking, and their stance on his life style had been why Liam had left in the first place. But they had also been terrified of losing their only son, and so had agreed to pay for the surgeries, under one condition.

He was to stop taking drugs.

He had, of course, resisted at first, but once the pain became too much and the urgency of the surgeries all too clear, he had agreed.

So here he was, waiting for the doctor to arrive, in a little pain, but with a future ahead of him that he wouldn’t have had if his parents hadn’t intervened.

He slowly closed his eyes, feeling much too sleepy to stay awake until the doctor came back. He closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep, only barely registering when the door to his room opened.

***

**_1999_ **

Liam sighed, standing as the kettle clicked, the water within boiled. He poured the water out into his mug, mixed in some milk and then drank down a mouthful, thankful for the bitter taste. A quick glance at the clock above the door told him he still had another forty five minutes until his next class, so he sat behind his desk, pulling out a subject planner and going over the subject matter for the next class.

He was interrupted a few minutes later by a sharp rapping against the door. Sighing, he stood and strode to the door, pulling it open to find Noah standing on the other side, hand raised as if to knock on the door again.

“Is there something I can help you with?” Liam asked, one eyebrow raised.

Noah opened his mouth slightly, closed it, and then opened it again, as if thinking over the words before he asked them. Finally, he settled on, “Can we talk?”

Liam stood to the side, letting the younger man in, before closing the door gently. It was going to be a long day, it seemed.


	3. Chapter 3

Noah walked into the office slowly, peering around the room. It was as expected, a little cramped, shelves reaching the roof stuffed to bursting with books. Little curios and artefacts lined some of the shelves, each with a little label tied to it.

Liam gestured to one of two seats not piled high with books and papers, sitting down at the one behind the desk. Noah took his seat gingerly, sitting just on the edge, his bag resting next to the seat.

“So… Noah, wasn’t it?” Liam asked. Noah nodded slightly, before Liam continued. “What do you want to talk about?”

Noah sat there for a moment, thinking over what he was going to ask. He hadn’t thought very far ahead, not knowing how to broach the subject. Finally, he settled on a simple, “I… wanted to see if you were okay? You seemed to… blank out a little in class earlier.”

Liam scowled at Noah, shaking his head.

“I’m sorry, but that is a little personal, don’t you think?” Liam asked, a low growl to his voice. “You don’t even know me, we just met, and you think it’s okay to come in here and ask me something like that?”

Noah shrugged, fingers fidgeting with the strap of his bag.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ll just” he sighed, his shoulders falling in defeat. “Sorry. You might not be the Liam I thought you were.”

When he got no reply, he stood from his chair, slinging his bag over his shoulder and walking to the door. His hand was on the handle, when a soft voice called out “wait.”

Noah turned slowly, looking up to see Liam standing behind the desk. He didn’t move, but he said, “Why do you think I’m the Liam you’re looking for?”

Noah gulped, removing his hand from the door handle, and bringing it up to play with the strap of his bag.

“Well… the way you reacted, when I told you my name. Raeken. And the way you seemed to know my dad, somehow.” He sighed ducking his head. “That, and some nights, my dad would get a little drunk and ramble about the one person that makes him happy. And, well… I don’t know about you, but I don’t know many people by the name ‘Liam Dunbar’.”

Liam shook his head, and Noah jumped when Liam slammed his fist on the desk.

“If I was the one person that made him happy, then why did he cheat on me?” Liam asked furiously, but Noah shook his head, a soft smile on his face.

“You actually believed that?” he asked, chuckling. “Dad can’t lie for shit, at least not to me, so you must be more gullible than I thought.”

Silence filled the room, one that was uncomfortable. Noah looked down at his feet, fidgeting with the strap of his bag more as the silence stretched on. He’d just decided to leave and never come back when Liam spoke.

“He… lied?” he croaked out, and Noah looked up to see tears glistening in his eyes. Noah nodded hesitantly, and Liam stumbled backwards, falling into his chair as a sob wracked his body.

“Fuck, I didn’t mean for this to happen” Noah said, but he remained rooted to the spot. What could he do, to comfort some man he’d only just met?

“No. It’s… it’s okay” Liam said quietly between sobs. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, before looking back up at Noah with a watery smile. “It’s okay Noah. I’ll be fine.”

“You don’t look like you’ll be fine” Noah said softly, slipping his bag off his shoulder, rummaging through it and pulling out a pen. “Have you got a spare bit of paper?”

Liam nodded slowly, searching through the piles of loose papers, before he found one that was blank, and handing it to Noah. He took it, quickly writing down an address and a name, before handing the sheet back to Liam.

“Mac’s Pizza and Pasta?” Liam asked, looking up from the sheet. “What… what does this have to do with anything?”

“Dad’s finishing up a case today, and when he does we’ll be going there for dinner” Noah said softly. “If you want to see him, I’d suggest you be there.”

Noah checked the time on his watch, eyes widening in surprise.

“Shit, I’m going to be late for class” he said, spinning on his heel and rushing to the door, flinging it open. He was half way through when Liam called out “Noah, wait.”

Noah froze, standing in the doorway, half out the door. He looked over his shoulder, staring at the professor, who had a soft smile on his face.

“Thank you, Noah. I’ll… I’ll see what I can do” Liam said, and then Noah was out the door, rushing towards his next class.

***

Liam couldn’t help but think the universe was against him today. Despite the revelation that Theo had lied all those years ago, he still had to go to his classes, act as if nothing happened. To top it all off, there was a faculty meeting for the archaeology department after the final class ended at five, which Liam was required to attend as one of the senior members of the department.

He didn’t walk out of the building until well after half past six, and of course, he got stuck in traffic on his way to the restaurant. It was just his luck that his one chance to see the man he, admittedly, still loved would be wasted because of traffic. He clenched the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles white. He placed his head down on the wheel, the cool leather a slight relief.

The honking of a horn caught his attention, and he looked up, seeing the road ahead clear and the light green. He waved in apology to the driver behind him, putting his foot down on the gas and moving forward.

By the time he parked the car, a few blocks down from the restaurant, his nerves were getting the better of him. Was Noah right? Did Theo really still love him? Had he actually lied, just so he could get clean?

Thinking back, Liam knew, that it must have been true. Theo had been much too good for him, back when they had met. Liam had already been deep into recreational drugs, and even some of the heavy stuff, when they’d met. And Theo had been squeaky clean, not into drugs or alcohol. And Liam had dragged him under.

Liam was the reason Theo had even started taking drugs, the reason he’d become an addict. And that day, when Liam had come home to find Theo hunched over the toilet, it hadn’t been the only time Theo had tried getting clean. And every time before that, Liam had dragged him back under, until Theo had finally cracked that day.

These thoughts whirled through Liam’s mind as he walked, and by the time he was pushing the door to the restaurant open, he was regretting coming here. Despite Noah’s assurances, he couldn’t help but think that Theo wanted nothing to do with him. He looked around the restaurant, the flare of hope slowly sputtering out as he looked out on unfamiliar faces.

A waiter walked up to Liam, eyebrow arched as he looked Liam over with a cursory glance. The man gave him a look of disdain, before speaking. “Is there anything I can help you with sir?” he asked, as if helping Liam was the last thing he would rather do.

“I’m just looking for someone” Liam said hesitantly, giving the room another glance. “And it seems like they’re not here. Sorry to have bothered you.”

He’d just turned away from the room when a shout of “Liam” caught his attention, and he turned back. Noah was there, standing in the doorway, a smile on his face.

“I didn’t think you were going to show up” he said, motioning for Liam to follow him. The waiter glared at him but made no move to stop him either. “I’ve been trying to stall dad for a while. I thought you weren’t going to show up.”

“I thought I was going to miss you” Liam said, following behind Noah. “I had a meeting, and then got stuck in traffic.”

“It’s all good. We haven’t eaten yet, so… if everything goes well, you can join us” Noah said with a smile.

Liam nodded, weaving through the maze of tables and chairs, until Noah came to a stop before a table. It was seated for two, one seat empty. The other was filled by a man in a dark suit, his eyes scanning the menu.

“Dad” Noah said, loud enough to be heard over the clatter of plates and cutlery. “There’s… someone here to see you.”

Theo looked up from the menu, a surprised look on his face as he looked at Noah.

“And who would that be?” Theo asked, his eyes shifting from Noah to Liam. He squinted his eyes, looking at Liam, as if he recognised him, but couldn’t put a finger on it. Liam pulled his glasses off, the world around him becoming a blurry mess outside of the small circle of tables Liam stood in the middle of.

He couldn’t help but laugh at the comical look Theo made, eyes wide in shock and his mouth open in a wide O, opening and closing as he tried to speak. Liam put his glasses back on, the world coming back into focus, clearing his throat.

“May I join you, Theo?” Liam asked, scratching the back of his neck. Theo continued to gape at him, but nodded, and Liam sat in the chair across from him. Noah sat down in one of the unoccupied chairs between them, sitting back, arms crossed as he watched the two of them.

When Theo finally regained his voice, he managed to get out a simple, “I think I’m going to need something a little stronger than water”, before calling over a waiter.

“What can I get you sir?” the waiter asked, the same one that had met Liam at the door. “Is this fellow here being a nuisance? I can escort him off the premises, if you’d like?”

Theo shook his head. “No, not at all. I’d just like a martini, dry. A… stronger one than usual, if that’s okay?” The waiter nodded, and Theo looked back to Liam. “Would you like a drink?”

“Just a water, thanks” Liam replied.

Theo arched his eyebrow at that, but said to the waiter, “You heard the man, one water. And a coke for Noah, too.”

The waiter nodded, giving Liam a withering look, before walking off. Liam looked around at the other patrons, and suddenly felt severely underdressed in his grey slacks and light blue sweater. Theo looked amazing in his dark suit, and even Noah had dressed up, wearing a long sleeved button up with some black slacks, his dark hair pulled back and held in place with a hair tie.

The waiter returned a few moments later, carrying a tray with their drinks, placing them each in front of them before departing. Theo took a large sip of his drink, resting the glass down beside him before he spoke.

“I will admit, this is… a surprise to see you here, Liam” Theo said with a sigh. “And something of an odd coincidence. I was thinking about you this morning, on my way to work.”

Liam noticed Noah perk up in his seat, but he thankfully didn’t say anything.

“That… is an odd coincidence” Liam said softly, taking a sip from his glass. “I was… thinking about you today too… though, I cant say it was outside of work hours.”

Noah chuckled beside them, and Theo joined in, shaking his head.

“I suppose it must have been quite a shock, seeing the son of someone you hate in your class” Theo said, his smile falling. He took another, longer sip of his drink this time.

“I… cant say I hated you” Liam said. “While it was a surprise having Noah in my class, and realising he was your son… I don’t consider myself the kind of person to judge the son for what the father did.”

There was a soft intake of breath, but Liam kept his eyes downcast. Silence stretched between the three of them, and Liam slowly stood from his chair, not once looking up at either Theo or Noah.

“Look… I’m sorry to have bothered you” he said softly. “Thanks for inviting me Noah, but… I have some work I need to finish up. I’ll see you in class.” He finally looked up, looking into Theo’s eyes. “It was… good seeing you again Theo.”

And with that, he turned on his heel and walked out of the restaurant.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After over 2 months since i last updated, here you all go. It's a little short, a little bittersweet, but i can happily say that this is the last chapter. Thank you for reading and commenting.

Theo watched wide eyed as Liam walked out on him, for the second time in his life. Had he said something wrong? He probably had… but he couldn’t watch as Liam walked away again. He’d let him do that once before, and he wasn’t going to let him do it again.

At least, not without an explanation.

“Noah, stay here” Theo said, pushing his seat out and standing. “Can you order me my regular?”

“Uh…sure thing, dad” Noah said, watching baffled as Theo followed Liam out.

Theo weaved his way through the restaurant, and back out onto the street. Liam was fast, faster than Theo remembered, and he was nowhere to be seen on the street. He picked a direction, lightly jogging down the street. He ignored the curious looks of passers-by, peering into every face he passed. He couldn’t let Liam walk away, not again.

But no matter how far he jogged, he couldn’t find Liam. He let out a frustrated sigh, leaning against a wall, his breath coming in harsh pants. Tears pooled in his eyes as he slid down the wall.

“Fuck…” he muttered, covering his eyes with his arm. He tried to stop the tears, but they fell despite his protests. “Fuck….” He screamed, punching the ground beneath him.

Pain shot through his hand, and he gasped. He lifted his hand up, eyeing the appendage. His knuckles were cracked and bleeding, blood streaming down his hand. He tried his best to unclench his fist, but pain shot through his hand.

“Theo?”

Theo’s head shot up, looking through blurred eyes. A blond head peered down at him, and he blinked away the tears. Liam’s face came into focus, his own eyes red, tear tracks running down his cheeks.

“Theo, are you okay?” He asked. He knelt down beside Theo, gently gripping Theo’s wounded hand in his. “Fuck, it looks like you broke something…”

“Liam? What are you doing here?” Theo asked, voice hoarse.

“I… stopped in an alley just around the corner” He said softly, gentle fingers prying at Theo’s hand. “I heard you screaming, and came to see if everything is okay.”

“Not now” Theo said, resting his head against the wall. “I mean…why are you here tonight?”

“Noah convinced me” Liam said, grimacing. “I…don’t know why I agreed. He is your son after all… probably by whoever you cheated on me with.”

“I…think you have everything confused” Theo said, pulling himself up, sitting straighter. “I lied about cheating on you.”

Liam scoffed, shaking his head. Theo removed his hand from Liam’s hold, staring at him.

“I’m not joking, Liam” Theo said in a fierce tone. “I lied about cheating, because I needed you to hate me. You…you kept pulling me back in, dragging me back into the drugs and the parties…and I needed to get out. And I’d tried to do it before…but every time I did…you kept pulling me back in.”

Liam ducked his head, nodding slowly.

“I know… I wasn’t the best boyfriend, I know” Liam said. “I should never have done any of those things. I know that now. I was stupid and selfish…I thought I would never be good enough for you, and I thought the only way I could have you was to drag you to my level…”

“Liam…you were good enough for me already…you didn’t need to drag me into that life” Theo said. He shook his head sighing. “I’m not gonna lie…it was fun though.”

Liam chuckled, shaking his head. “You think so? I lost one of my kidneys and had to get a new liver.”

Theo froze, staring at Liam. He couldn’t be serious, could he?

“I…didn’t take the news of you cheating very well” Liam said quietly, sitting down next to Theo. “It hit me hard, and I just…I fell into the drugs. Hard. All those drugs, all the alcohol…it wasn’t great to me. By the time I realised what I was doing…It was too late, and I needed the surgery badly. My parents offered to pay for the surgery, but made me promise not to touch drugs again. And so…faced with that or agonising death…I stopped.”

Silence settled between the two of them, before Theo spoke up.

“I’m sorry for that Liam” Theo said, looking over at Liam. “I should never have left you…”

“Thanks Theo” Liam said, smiling bitterly. “But, the past is the past.”

There was a pause, before Liam spoke again. “So…if you lied about cheating on me…did you adopt Noah?”

Theo chuckled, shaking his head. “No, I didn’t. He is my son. While I was going cold turkey, I met a girl…Malia. She wanted to help me through the withdrawals…and we grew close. We started dating, and next thing I know we’re talking about getting married.” Theo scoffed, looking down at his hands. “She was one of those religious types, who wanted to wait till we were married before we had sex. So we did, I proposed, she said yes. It was… a big, extravagant thing. I couldn’t stand it, but…it’s what she wanted. Next thing I know… Noah was being born. And he was the best thing to happen to my life.”

Liam smiled at him, nodding his head. “You look happy, you know? With her and Noah.” His voice was bitter as he spoke, and Theo looked at him curiously.

“Malia and I broke up” Theo said. “She… wasn’t the best person. Leeched off of my pay, neglected Noah. When I filed for divorce, she fought tooth and nail for everything. Her actions during the proceedings convinced the judge that Noah was better left in my care.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through that” Liam said quietly. But Theo could hear the hint of hope that filled Liam’s voice.

“It’s okay Liam…the past is the past, after all” Theo said with a smile. He groaned in pain as he shifted his hand, and pain lanced through his arm. “Fuck, I think I need to go to the hospital.”

“You want me to take you there?” Liam asked, standing from his position, and helping Theo up.

“Uh…sure” Theo said. “We just need to get Noah first.”

Liam smiled broadly, grabbing Theo’s uninjured hand in his, lacing their fingers together. They took a few steps before Theo came to a stop.

Liam stopped too, turning to look at Theo. “Is everything okay?”

“If…if you thought I had still cheated…if you thought I was still with Malia… why did you show up tonight?” Theo asked.

Liam gulped, looking down at the ground. “I…I don’t know. I just wanted to see you again. Even if I thought you were still married…I just wanted to see you one last time.”

“You…you weren’t going to commit suicide, were you?” Theo hesitantly asked.

“What? No” Liam said vehemently, shaking his head. “It’s been twenty years since I last saw you. I just…I figured I wouldn’t get the chance to see you again.”

“Oh…” Theo said, slowly nodding.

“I… I’m curious though” Liam said, stepping closer. “If…if I were to kiss you…would you be opposed to the idea?”

In reply, Theo stepped forward, pressing his lips to Liam’s in a soft kiss. When he pulled back, Liam looked stunned.

“Does that answer your question?” Theo asked with a smirk.

Liam’s lips twitched up into a smile as he slowly nodded. “Yes, yes that definitely does.”

He leaned forward, pressing his lips to Theo’s, before pulling back. “Is it too much to ask… but could we try this again? Now that we’re both better people.”

“I’d love to give that a try” Theo said with a smile. “After we go to the hospital.”

The smile Liam gave him lit him up inside, and he couldn’t help but smile in reply. He knew they had both hurt each other in the past, but as Liam had said, they had both grown, they had both suffered. They were both, hopefully, better people now. And Theo couldn’t help but hope that, this time around, that things would end differently between the two of them.


End file.
